


Wake Up

by JayTyHeyBye



Series: Please, Hold On [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Hi I'll go down with this ship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Nightmares, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Sleepy Cuddles, Temporary Character Death, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 08:40:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14667417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayTyHeyBye/pseuds/JayTyHeyBye
Summary: After Thanos is defeated and Tony has some peace and quiet, the thoughts that linger late at night make it hard for him to get a good nights sleep. Luckily, he has someone ready to help.Epilogue to "I Still Need You"





	Wake Up

_They were stranded on Titan. Thanos had the Time Stone, Stephen had given it over willingly. Thanos was gone, fucked off to Earth in hopes of finding Vision. All the rest of them could do, of course, was wait._

_Peter had helped Tony up and as soon as Stephen was on his feet, the Sorcerer was rushing to Tony’s side. Tony grimaced as one of Stephen’s hands came to rest over his freshly patched up wound, yet Stephen didn’t move his hand._

_Tony gave the man a shove to push him away, but there was no real force behind it. Only Stephen’s shoulder moved, but Stephen’s hurt expression made it look like he’d been slapped._

_“Why the fuck would you give him the stone?!” Tony was shouting. Stephen looked upset, but the man stood his ground._

_“I had to!”_

_“No, you didn’t! The Stone is-”_

_“-I watched you die-”_

_“-a trillion times more important than I am!”_

_“God-No it’s not!” Stephen shouted, and it was enough to silence Tony. The pair glared at each other, but Stephen’s expression broke first. He hung his head, a trembling hand pushing his hair out of his eyes. “I watched you die, Tony. 14,000,604 times. I heard you scream for me, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. I watched Thanos choke you, drown you, crush your skull, suffocate you...there was one reality I found where we succeeded, and do you know what the one little difference was in that one?”_

_“Enlighten me, Strange.”_

_Tearful blue eyes met angry brown ones, and all the remaining anger drained from Tony’s body. For a moment, Stephen didn’t speak. He turned his back to Tony, most likely composing himself. A few minutes passed and the younger male finally did turn back around. His eyes were wet and his hands were shaking. His breath kept hitching. It broke Tony’s fucking heart._

_“You, Tony. The one timeline you survive, is the timeline we win.” His voice was soft. Broken._

_“Stephen...”_

_A single tear fell down Stephen’s cheek, and Tony closed the gap between them. He brushed Stephen’s tear away before pulling the man into a hug. Tony had never been good at comforting people, but Stephen was an exception. One of his hands rested on the back of Stephen’s hair, guiding the man’s head to rest against his shoulder. Stephen sniffled just as Tony began to card his fingers through Stephen’s hair._

_“I-I’m so sorry, Tony. Please remember that.” The grim undertones of Stephen’s voice had Tony tensing up._

_He heard Mantis gasp out a phrase from behind him and just as Tony realized what was happening, he could feel the Wizard in his grip starting to fade._

_No. No, please, no. Not again. Tony couldn’t go through this again._

_Stephen’s knees buckled and Tony went down to the ground with him. Stephen gripped the remains of Tony’s suit, and Tony began to do the most un-Tony-Like thing in history._

_He begged._

_“No, Stephen...baby, stay with me. I’ve got you, okay? Eyes open, Strange. I...” Tony’s voice was thick with emotion, “I need you. If-if you stay, I swear to love you for all my life and then some. Can-can you do this for me, Stephen? Please...God, please! I-I can’t do this again!”_

_“I-I-I love you, T-Tony.” Stephen was gasping for breath. He pulled back enough to look Tony in the eye, sudden desperation in his eyes. He was clearly in pain, and there was nothing Tony could do to stop it._

_“Shut up. Shut up, don’t say that. You’re fine. I-I still need you and your wizard powers, Stephen. Please don’t leave me here.”_

_“T-Tony-”_

_“Come on, Stephen, come on-”_

_“Tony!” Stephen snapped. Tony fell silent. Stephen pressed one of his hands against Tony’s cheek and Tony could feel the appendage disappearing, turning into nothing but ash. “Do-do me a favour?”_

_All Tony could do was nod. Stephen sucked in a sharp breath, the ash spreading hurriedly up his arms and neck._

_“Wake up.”_

 

Tony awoke with a start, shooting upright in bed. A strangled yell of Stephen’s name lingered on his lips. Tony had jolted himself right into a pair of open arms which quickly closed around his trembling frame. He instinctively began to struggle, though a sudden hand in his hair had Tony stilling almost instantly. 

“You’re here, Tony. I’ve got you.” The voice of the man holding him was gravely and full of sleep. Still, it was soothing enough that it broke through the ringing in Tony’s ears.

The man smelt like aftershave, old furniture, and cologne. 

“F.R.I.D.A.Y, lights at 20%.” The man murmured. 

“Yes, Doctor.” 

It was only when Tony opened his eyes that he really realized where he was. He and Stephen were in their room in the Avengers base. They were in bed, and it was the middle of the night. 3:43am, according to Tony’s watch. Tony was pressed against Stephen’s bare chest, his ear resting just above Stephen’s heart. The heartbeat was steady, and it was reassuring enough that Tony was able to suck in a sharp breath.

Stephen pulled back enough that he could get a good look at Tony. Tony’s eyes widened at the small trickle of blood that came from Stephen’s nose.

“You with me, Tony?” Stephen offered him a warm smile, brushing a loose strand of Tony’s hair out of his eyes.

“Am I...wha...Did I hit you?”

Stephen was quick to swipe at his nose, the blood staining the back of his hand. He wiped it off on his sweatpants nonchalantly. 

“You kicked me quite harshly off the bed, actually. I fell face first into the hardwood before I could catch myself.”

Whereas normal Tony would have had some kind of witty comment about how Stephen deserved it for stealing all the covers, shaken up, anxiety riddled Tony could only mumble out a string of apologies. Stephen shushed him, pressing a gentle kiss against the older man’s forehead. 

They remained silent for some time after that, Stephen simply letting Tony catch his breath. 

“Do you wanna go get some water?” Stephen finally suggested, and Tony gave a hesitant nod.

Stephen pushed himself off the bed and extended a hand to Tony who gratefully took it. He held on with all his might, not daring to let go. Stephen gave his hand a squeeze as he guided the trembling billionaire to the kitchen.

Once inside, he had Tony sit down on one of the island stools. Tony leaned forward until his forehead came into contact with the marble. Stephen got the man a cold glass of water and ruffled Tony’s hair to get the man to sit back up.

Tony gratefully gulped down the glass, aggressively aware of how intently Stephen was staring at him.

“See something you like, Strange?”

“Always. Do you want to talk about your dream?”

Fuck, there it is. 

Tony let out a huff, his expression darkening. He’d never been one to share his insecurities, but Stephen had this dumb aura about him that always got Tony spilling the beans. He fiddled with the empty cup in his hands, chocolate brown eyes falling shut. Stephen reached out to touch Tony’s shoulder.

“Was it the Titan dream, Tony?”

Tony, again, nodded.

Stephen turned Tony around in his chair, bending down enough to be in Tony’s line of sight. He took Tony’s hand and placed it over his own heart. Tony’s breath hitched at the feeling of Stephen’s heartbeat against his palm.

“That was two years ago, Tony. I am very real, no more ash. Thanos is long dead. We’re on Earth. It’s currently-” Stephen glanced at the clock on the Microwave, “4:02am on a Tuesday. We’re safe. You’re safe.”

“I know. You always say that.” Tony grumbled. Stephen gave a smug grin.

“I’m alive because you brought me back to life, do you remember that? This is the one good timeline. The one where everyone made it out alive.”

“I know.” 

Stephen pulled Tony in for a chaste kiss. It was a rarer one between the duo, softer and with more intent. Most kisses were in passing, quick and reassuring. Some before sex, firm and passionate. It was rare that they kissed like this, but neither one minded. It was gentle, full of love, devotion, and promises. 

Tony was the one to break the kiss. He must have looked lost in thought, because Stephen hooked his hand under Tony’s jaw to get his attention.

“Tony, whats-”

“Marry me, Stephen.”

The Sorcerer looked taken aback, blue eyes widening in shock. For a moment, he looked speechless. Tony wished he had a camera.

“I...what?”

“Marry me.” Tony sounded a little more desperate this time, reaching out to grasp both of Stephen’s hands. Stephen brought their hands up, pressing his lips to Tony’s knuckles as Stark stifled a yawn.

“Let’s get you to bed, Tony.”

“But, I-”

“Ask me again in the morning. I’ll have an answer for you, I promise.”

And ask again Tony did. They lay in bed the next morning, the sun pouring in through the windows. Tony was wide awake, propped up on his arm. He reached out to fix Stephen’s hair. Stephen let out a half asleep grunt in response.

“Stephen.”

“Mmf.”

“Stephen, Marry me.”

“’m sleepin’, Tone...”

“I swear to – Stephen Vincent Strange, I am asking you to Marry me, God Da-”

Tired eyes blinked open, and it took Tony’s breath again. Stephen yawned into the pillow, then curled his body up against Tony’s chest. He leaned his head up to press his lips to Tony’s jaw before his eyes fell shut again, his body beginning to welcome sleep again.

Tony wasn’t pleased, though. He wrapped his arms around Stephen’s shoulders, clearing his throat.

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes, Tony. It’s a yes. Now go back to sleep before I portal you to Britain.”


End file.
